Life-preserver.



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LIFE PRESBRVER.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG.16.1906.

2 SHEETSSHEE P 1.

Witnesses:

Attorneys PATENTED MAY 12 L. JJOSHAUGHNESSY,

LIFE PRESERVER. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16,1906.

2 S HEBTS-SHEEI 2.

lnvntor,

Witnesses:

" Attorneys orrcn.

IJAUGI-ILIN JAMES OSHAUGHNESSY, OF HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA.

LIFE PRE SERVER.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 12, 1908.

Application filed August 16, 1906. Serial No. 330,793.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAUGHLIN JAMES OSHAUGIIINEssY, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Halifax, county of Halifax, in the Province of Nova Scotia, Oanada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Preservers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to life preservers.

The object of my invention is to provide a support for a swimmer which is so arranged as not to impede the progress of the swimmer through the water.

A further object is to provide a construction which will keep the swimmer afloat face upward.

A further object is to provide a construction which will permit the free breathing of the swimmer; and, my invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, I have illustrated one form of embodiment of my invention, in which drawings similar reference characters designate corresponding parts, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the application of my invention to a human body; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation showing the application of my invention to a human body; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device laid out on a plane looking towards the front of the devicej and, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device laid out on a plane looking towards the rear of the device.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a non-elastic neck band, provided with an opening 2 adapted to be engaged by a fastening 3.

4 designates an elastic body band provided with openings 5 adapted to be engaged by a fastening device 6. The neck band 1 and body band 4 are connected by a non-elastic band 7.

Carried by the neck band and the connecting band 7, is a cylindrical receptacle 8, provided with rounded ends, and disposed with its longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane. This receptacle is adapted to be positioned across the upper part of the shoul ders and the back of the neck just below the back of the head, so that when the head is thrown back, as in floating, it will be supported by the upper edge of the receptacle.

Secured to the neck band 1, adjacent the opposite ends thereof, are receptacles 9, having rounded lower ends 10, and pointed upper ends 11. These receptacles 9 are of substantially the same size and shape as the human lung, and adapted to be positioned directly over the lung cavities. Secured to the receptacles 9 are loops 12, through which is disposed the body band 4. The receptacles 8 and 9 are preferably constructed of hermetically sealed rubber material, and are in flated with any suitable gas, and all of said receptacles hold approximately the same volume of gas.

In the application of my invention, the receptacles 9 are disposed to the front of the body of the wearer and directly over the lung cavities, and thereceptacle 8 is disposed at the back of the wearer across the shoulders and across the back of the neck just below the back of the head. By this arrangement,

the head of the wearer will be supported with the face above the surface of the water when floating or swimming on the back, and when the wearer is swimming the pointed ends of the receptacles 9 offer little resistance to the water. By having the receptacles positioned as they are with their larger ends down, they exert an upward and a backward pull on the body of the wearer, so that should the swimmer become disabled, he will be thrown upward and on to his back. In this position his head and shoulders will be supported by the float 8, and there will be no danger of drowning. It is well known that where the lungs of a person have not become filled with water, the body will float face up on its back. It is on this principle that the floats 9 work. The body band 4 being of elastic material, permits the free breathing of the wearer.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a life preserver, two floats of substantially the same shape as the human lung and adapted to be positioned directly over the lungs of the wearer, a third float adapted to be positioned across the shoulders and the In witness whereof I have hereunto set my back of the neck of the wearer, and means i hand in the presence of two witnesses. for holdin said floats in position said means Y comprising an elastic body band to allow LAUGHLIN JAMES OSHAUGHLESSY' 5 free breathing of the wearer, a non-elastic i/Vitnesses:

neck band, and a non-elastic band connect- E. HILTON, ing said body andneck bands. J. L. MAoKiNNoN. 

